Peckham photos show history of town in new book and exhibition

7 September 2017

Residents are being invited to step back in time with a new book and exhibition showing photos of Peckham’s fascinating history.

The Peckham Society and Southwark Council’s Local History Library and Archive presents 'Peckham Streets: a photographic history'.

The exhibition has been curated by the council’s Heritage Officer, Chris Scales, and will be on display in Peckham Rye Station’s Old Waiting Room in collaboration with Benedict O'Looney Architects as part of the upcoming Peckham Festival. The matching book will also be on sale at the event and available from shops from later this year.

Cllr Johnson Situ, cabinet member for business, culture and social regeneration, said: “It is amazing to see, through this fascinating collection of photos, how Peckham has both changed so dramatically yet in many ways stay the same with recognisable landmarks and its eclectic mix of residents.”

The exhibition will feature over 100 years of photography of Peckham from the council’s collection as well as contributions from artist Tom Phillips and others, from locals dealing with the pressures of air raid bombing during the Blitz and the make-do-and-mend era of 1950s, moving on to the swinging sixties shopping heyday of Jones and Higgins.

This is followed by stunning newly-discovered colour photographs never seen before of Peckham in the 1960s to the 1980s and bringing it to the present day with the exciting work of three young photographers working in Peckham today - Marcus Hessenberg, Hannah Hutchins and Nina Smale.

Exhibition open to public from 10am to 6pm Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September 2017. Entry is free.